Young Victorian rally driver Glen Raymond, with his brother Matt navigating, has finished an amazing second outright in the 2009 Australian Rally Championship. Driving the Raymond Partners Accountants Toyota Corolla, the team travelled over five states in Australia competing against the country's best drivers.
Despite the team consistently finishing at the front of the field, the highlight of the year was becoming the youngest ever winner of an Australian Rally Championship round by winning the Quit Forest Rally in Western Australia.
To cap off a great year that began with Raymond winning the CAMS Motorsport Personality of the year award, the team has been rewarded with a wild card entry into the Pirelli Star Driver Competition. The event will be held at Australia’s World Rally Championship round, Repco Rally Australia, on the northern NSW coast next month. The Raymonds will compete against five of the Asia Pacific’s fastest under-27 year old drivers for the chance to win a fully sponsored drive in six rounds of the Production World Rally Championship in 2010.
With the team's Toyota Corolla ineligible to compete on the international stage, the team has leased a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9 to compete at the event. The car, run by Racetorque, is the same car that Simon Evans used to win this year's Australian Rally Championship and is one the Raymonds hope will take them to victory in the Pirelli Star Driver Competition.
“I’m so excited about the prospect of competing on the World stage,†said an excited Glen Raymond. “Like every other driver, competing at world level has always been my ultimate dream. I must thank all the support from family, friends and sponsors I have received to get us to this level.â€
The team would like to thank its supporters who make it possible to compete at international level: Raymond Partners Accountants, JNJ Electrical Contractors, Bendigo Bank, Mammi Motors, Pirelli Tyres, Blackwell Bodyworks, Quality Site Welding, Melbourne Performance Centre, Warragul Signs, Moe Engines, Jen's Dinkum Discounts, VicParts and ERG for the FIA approved racewear.
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